I hope this finds you incredibly well enjoying the best of this holiday season! As we prepare to start a new year, I wanted to express my deep gratitude for your involvement and support in laying the foundation for DESDE™ over this past year, and for your presence in my life. I’m grateful for all of the experiences that have led me on the road to launching this company.

For a glimpse of the incredibly unique and inspiring artisanship DESDE is committed to highlighting to it's products check out this video summary of one of my visits to artisans of the Comarca (most directly translated to 'reservation') Ngöbe–Buglé in their community Pueblo Nuevo, in Bocas del Toro Province.

I am incredibly grateful to the women, and the community for receiving our team and spending so much time sharing this amazing process that has been passed down by generations.

The video is just a small peak into the richness behind some of the products we are working to develop with various artisans of the Ngöbe–Buglé community.

Since arriving in Panama from Hamburg, it's been a great whirlwind of meeting with artisans across the country, identifying key stakeholders, and also assessing important parts of the production process.

Towards the end of the month I attended the National Artisan Fair where artisans from Panama's many provinces were represented. Although several artisans confided in me that the requirements to participate in the fair left many artisans unable to apply, I was glad to see a representation of rural and cosmopolitan artisans.

Artisan interviews will continue into August! With artisan interviews we are gaining a continued understanding of artisan's needs, and also assessing which communities DESDE will begin to work with.

PAST POSTS:

"The scenery becomes less blurred as the car rolls over broken parts of the road and out of the corner of my eye I catch several small straw huts with flurries of color peeking through the leaves. Leaving the car on the gravel and grass just barely off the skinny lane I walk into one of the huts and come face to face with one of the most memorable experiences of extreme contrasts." Read more here.